U.S. patent number 4,501,544 [Application Number 06/559,179] was granted by the patent office on 1985-02-26 for apparatus for continuously and automatically molding chocolate block having ornamental relief pattern.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Akutagawa Confectionery Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Tokuji Akutagawa.
United States Patent |
4,501,544 |
Akutagawa |
February 26, 1985 |
Apparatus for continuously and automatically molding chocolate
block having ornamental relief pattern
Abstract
An apparatus for automatically molding a chocolate block is
provided according to the invention. The chocolate block includes
an ornamental relief pattern made of first chocolate material of
one color and a body portion carrying the relief pattern and made
of a second chocolate material of different color. The chocolate
block is produced by combining a first mold for molding the first
chocolate material and a second mold for molding the second
chocolate material. The second chocolate material adhering on the
face of the first mold is cleaned by cleaner means such as a
roller, scraper or a rinsing chamber.
Inventors: |
Akutagawa; Tokuji (Tokyo,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Akutagawa Confectionery Co.,
Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)
|
Family
ID: |
14123133 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/559,179 |
Filed: |
December 7, 1983 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
May 31, 1983 [JP] |
|
|
58-94909 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
425/218;
425/225 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23G
3/2023 (20130101); A23G 1/205 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A23G
1/04 (20060101); A23G 1/20 (20060101); A23G
3/20 (20060101); A23G 3/02 (20060101); B29D
031/00 (); B29C 001/00 (); A23G 007/00 (); A23G
001/26 () |
Field of
Search: |
;425/130,134,215,216,218,219,220,217,99,100,231,225
;426/512,515 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hoag; Willard E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Keil & Weinkauf
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for continuously and automatically molding a
chocolate block including an ornamental relief pattern made of a
first chocolate material of one color and a body portion carrying
said ornamental relief pattern and made of a second chocolate
material of different color, comprising:
(a) conveyer means for carrying thereon a plurality of first molds
successively placed at intervals, each first mold having a top face
provided with at least one engraved mold cavity;
(b) means for casting a fluidized first chocolate material for
forming said ornamental relief pattern into each of the engraved
mold cavities of said first molds one by one;
(c) a scraper for scraping the top face of each first mold to press
said first chocolate material into said engraved mold cavity and to
scrape off the excess first chocolate material;
(d) a first cooler for cooling said first chocolate material
contained in said engraved mold cavity of said first mold;
(e) means for placing a second mold in situ on each of said first
molds, said second mold having at least one through-opening
defining said body portion and being free from permanent connection
with said first mold;
(f) means for casting a fluidized second chocolate material into
said second mold combined with said first mold through said
through-opening;
(g) a second cooler for successively cooling said first and second
chocolate materials contained in the combined first and second
molds to solidify the same;
(h) means for removing the solidifed first and second chocolate
materials from the molds to obtain an integral product chocolate
block; and
(i) cleaner means for cleaning said first molds to remove the
chocolate materials adhering thereon, said cleaner means being
disposed between said means (b) and said means (h).
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cleaner means
comprises a scraper blade for scraping the face of each first
mold.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said scraper blade
is slanted at an angle of from 5.degree. to 45.degree. relative to
the face of each first mold.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cleaner means
comprises a rinsing chamber for rinsing the face of each first mold
with warm water, and a drying chamber for drying the thus rinsed
first mold.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of spray
nozzles for spraying warm water therefrom to the face of each first
mold is provided in said rinsing chamber.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cleaner means
comprises a roller adapted to contact with the face of each first
mold and made of a resilient material, and a scraper plate having
an edge abutting against a portion of the peripheral face of said
roller.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said roller is
carried for free rotation as it contacts with the face of each
first mold.
8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a heater is
contained internally of said roller.
9. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprises a heating
chamber disposed upstream of said cleaner means.
10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said roller is
rotatable in the direction reverse to the travelling direction of
said conveyer.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said roller is
rotatable at a circumferential speed of higher than the travelling
speed of said conveyer.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said roller is
rotatable at a circumferential speed of more than two times as high
as the travelling speed of said conveyer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for molding
chocolate, and particularly to an apparatus for molding chocolate
blocks each including an ornamental relief pattern made of a first
chocolate material of one color and a body portion carrying the
ornamental relief pattern and made of a second chocolate material
of different color through a continuous automation system.
2. Prior Art
In a known process for molding a chocolate block having an
ornamental relief pattern, a first chocolate material for forming
the ornamental relief pattern is heated to be fluidized and then
cast into a first or lower mold having a smooth top face and one or
more engraved mold cavities forming the ornamental relief patterns,
such as desired design or letters. After scraping the top face of
the first mold, the first chocolate material is cooled at some
extent, and a second or upper mold having one or more
through-openings is placed on the first mold. Before the first
chocolate material contained in the engraved mold cavities of the
first mold is not yet solidified, a second chocolate material
having color different from that of the first chocolate material is
heated to be fluidized and then cast into the through-openings of
the second mold. After the first and second chocolate materials are
crystallized and solidified, the upper or second mold is separated
from the lower or first mold to remove the molded chocolate block
from the combined molds.
However, in the known process, the fluidized second chocolate
material tends to penetrate into the gap inevitably formed at the
interface between the top face of the lower mold and the bottom
frace of the upper mold. The penetrating second chocolate material
having the color and quality different from those of the first
chocolate material adheres on the top face of the first mold, and
the thus adhering second chocolate material is mixed with the first
chocolate material at the scraping step of the next operation
cycle, thereby to deteriorate the quality and appearance of the
product chocolate block, resulting in loss of commercial value of
the product. In the conventional process, the residual second
chocolate material adhering on the top face of the lower mold
surrounding the engraved cavities for molding the ornamental relief
pattern is removed by manual operations. However, such manual
operations are time consuming and ineffective.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A principal object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for
continuously and automatically molding chocolate blocks each
including an ornamental relief pattern of one color forming desired
design, such as letters or figure, and carried by a body chocolate
material of different color.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for
continuously and automatically molding chocolate blocks each
including an ornamental relief pattern, the apparatus being
provided with cleaner means for removing the chocolate materials
adhering on the molds.
A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for
continuously and automatically molding chocolate blocks with high
efficiency each block including a three dimensional ornamental
pattern of one color carried by a body chocolate material of
different color.
A still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus
for continuously and automatically molding chocolate blocks each
including an ornamental relief pattern of one color carried by a
body chocolate material of different color, the chocolate material
forming the ornamental relief pattern being prevented from mixing
with the chocolate material forming the body portion.
The above and other objects of this invention will become apparent
from the following detailed description of the invention.
The present invention provides an apparatus for continuously and
automatically molding a chocolate block including an ornamental
relief pattern made of a first chocolate material of one color and
a body portion carrying said ornamental relief pattern and made of
a second chocolate material of different color, comprising:
(a) conveyor means for carrying thereon a plurality of first molds
successively placed at intervals, each first mold having a top face
provided with at least one engraved mold cavity;
(b) means for casting a fluidized first chocolate material for
forming said ornamental relief pattern into each of the engraved
mold cavities of said first molds one by one;
(c) a scraper for scraping the top face of each first mold to press
said first chocolate material into said engraved mold cavity and to
scrape off the excess first chocolate material;
(d) a first cooler for cooling said first chocolate material
contained in said engraved mold cavity of said first mold;
(e) means for placing a second mold in situ on each of said first
molds, said second mold having at least one through-opening
defining said body portion;
(f) means for casting a fluidized second chocolate material into
said second mold combined with said first mold through said
through-opening;
(g) a second cooler for successively cooling said first and second
chocolate materials contained in the combined first and second
molds to solidify the same;
(h) means for removing the solidified first and second chocolate
materials from the molds to obtain an integral product chocolate
block; and
(i) cleaner means for cleanig said first molds to remove the
chocolate materials adhering thereon, said cleaner means being
disposed between said means (b) and said means (h).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the general construction of the
apparatus of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross section showing a portion of the first mold in
which the first chocolate material is cast and then pressed into
the engraved mold cavity by the casting and scraping
operations;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the scraper;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a lower or bottom portion of
the second mold;
FIG. 5 is a cross section showing a portion of the combined first
and second molds in which the first and second chocolate materials
are cast;
FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration showing a portion of the second
mold carrying the molded first and second chocolate materials and a
portion of the first mold separated from the second mold;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the cleaner
means for removing the second chocolate material from the first
mold;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the
cleaner means; and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a further embodiment of the
cleaner means.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be
described with reference to the appended drawings.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conveyer 1 carries a plurality of lower or
first molds 4 arranged at pre-set intervals. Although an endless
belt conveyer is used in the illustrated embodiment, any other
conveyer means, such as chain conveyer, may be used. The conveyer 1
is moved intermittently by a combination of a timer and a prime
mover (not shown). Each of the first mold 4 has a generally flat
and smooth top face 3, as shown in FIG. 2, and the top face 3 is
provided with at least one engraved mold cavity 2, each having a
minimum width of 200 microns and a depth of 100 microns to about 1
mm, for containing therein a first chocolate material which forms
an ornamental relief pattern including letters or designed figure.
The cross section of the first or lower mold 4 is shown in FIG. 2
in an enlarged scale, in which the engraved mold cavities are shown
by reference numeral 2. The first mold 4 is generally made of a
synthetic resin, such as polystyrene or polycarbonate, or a
metal.
A container 5 for storing a fluidized first chocolate material 6 is
disposed above the conveyer 1, and the fluidized first chocolate
material 6 is fed to the first mold 4 moved to the position just
beneath the container 5 in a quantity substantially equal to the
volume of the engraved mold cavity 2.
Although a so-called white chocolate material is generally used as
the first chocolate material, the first chocolate material is not
limited to the white chocolate material but may be selected from a
variety of chocolate materials having desired colors by the
addition of edible pigments. The first chocolate material 6
contained in the container 5 has been pre-treated through the known
conching and tempering steps and maintained at a temperature of
about 29.degree. to 31.degree. C. in a fluidized condition.
At the downstream of the travelling direction of the conveyer 1
(the travelling direction of the conveyer 1 being shown by the real
line arrow in FIG. 1), a scraper 7 is disposed to scrape the top
face 3 of the first mold 4 to press the first chocolate material 6
into the engraved mold cavity 2 and to scrape off the excess first
chocolate material 6.
The details of the scraper 7 is shown in FIG. 3. The illustrated
embodiment of the scraper 7 has three blades 71, 72 and 73 which
move across the first mold 4 in the direction perpendicular to the
travelling direction of the conveyer 1 while the conveyer 1 is
stopped. The blades 71, 72 and 73 are carried by a rotating belt 74
shown by broken lines in FIG. 3. The blades 71 and 72 are combined
with the blade 73 with their base end 71b and 72b abutting against
the front face of the blade 73, and the blades 71 and 72 extend at
some angles from the front face of the blade 73 so that the fore
end portions 71a and 72a are separated by proper distance to cover
the top face of the first mold 4 to be scraped. Upon movement of
the scraper 7 across the mold 4, the first chocolate material is
pressed into the engraved mold cavities 2 and the excess chocolate
material is scraped by and moved along the blades 71 and 72. By a
further movement of the scraper 7, the top face 3 of the mold 4 is
scraped by the blade 73 so that the excess chocolate material is
scraped therefrom to be collected in a collector (not shown)
disposed at the side of the conveyer 1. The blades 71, 72 and 73
contact with a blade cleaner 75 having a contour adapted to scrape
off the chocolate material adhering on these blades. The conveyer
74 is moved at a speed controlled in a timed relationship with the
intermittent movement of the conveyer 1 so that the scraper 7
contacts with the top face of the next first mold 4 while the
conveyer 1 is held stationary.
The first mold 4 may be vibrated by a vibrator 9 disposed below the
conveyer 1 to remove air bubbles from the first chocolate material
prior to the scraping operation.
The first mold 4 carrying the first chocolate material in its mold
cavity 2, as shown in FIG. 2, is then passed through a first cooler
8. The temperature in the first cooler 8 may be varied depending on
the thickness of the first chocolate material contained in the
engraved mold cavity 2 of the mold 4, and generally maintained at
about 4.degree. to 7.degree. C. The cooler 8 has a length so that
each first mold 4 is contained therein for a residence time of
generally 2 to 3 minutes during which the surface temperature of
the first chocolate material is rapidly cooled to 18.degree. to
22.degree. C. and the base oils and fats contained in the first
chocolate material are crystallized to form fine crystallites. The
first chocolate material should not be solidified by this cooling
step, but the cooling is effected to cool the surface temperature
of the first chocolate material to about 18.degree. to 22.degree.
C. rapidly and to crystallize the base oils and fats contained in
the first chocolate material. The length of the cooler 8 is
adjusted or the travelling speed of the conveyer 1 is controlled
such that the first mold 4 passes through the cooler 8 while the
crystallization of base oils and fats in the first chocolate
material is still taking place.
Adjacent to the first cooler 8, there is disposed a device 14 for
placing upper or second molds 10 successively on respective first
molds 4. As shown in FIG. 4, each second mold 10 has at least one
throughopening 11 which forms a mold cavity defining the final
contour of the molded chocolate block. The depth of the
through-opening 11 is not critical and may be varied to mold a
product chocolate block having a desired thickness. The second mold
10 has a bottom face 13 which contacts closely with the top face 3
of the first mold 4.
In the illustrated apparatus shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of upper
or second molds 10 is stacked in the device 14, and one second mold
10 is placed on each first mold 4 moved to the position just
beneath the device 14. The second mold 10 may be, in general, made
of a synthetic resin, such as polystyrene or polycarbonate, or a
metallic material.
A second chocolate material 15 is contained in a second container
16 disposed next to the device 14 and is stored in the container 16
in the condition similar to that described hereinbefore as to the
condition of the first chocolate material. The second chocolate
material 15 is poured or cast into the through-opening 11 of the
second mold 10 in a quantity substantially equal to the volume of
the mold cavity defined by the through-opening 11, when one of the
second molds 10 is positioned just beneath the second container 16
while containing the first chocolate material which is not
solidified and still in the course of crystallization of the base
oils and fats contained therein. Although not shown in the
drawings, means for scraping the top face of each second mold 10
may be provided. FIG. 5 shows the second chocolate material 15 cast
in the second mold 10 combined with the first mold 4. The second
chocolate material may be a regular brown chocolate material or may
be a variety of chocolate materials having a color different from
that of the first chocolate material. A brown chocolate material
may be used as the first chocolate material and combined with a
white second chocolate material. However, in order to produce a
chocolate block having an ornamental relief pattern made of first
chocolate material which is integrally joined with the second
chocolate material forming the body portion of the chocolate block,
the contents and kinds of the base oils and fats contained in the
first and second chocolate materials should be determined in
consideration of the melting points and percentage shrinkages
thereof. The contents and kinds of the base oils and fats should be
controlled to produce a final chocolate block having clear
ornamental relief pattern having a color which is in good contrast
with the color of the body portion. In this connection U.S. Pat.
No. 4,382,968 disclosing an invention invented by me will be
incorporated herein as a reference. Similarly to the first
chocolate material, the second chocolate material is stored in the
second container 16 generally at a temperature of from 29.degree.
to 31.degree. C. However, the storage temperature is not limited as
far as the chocolate material is stored in a fluidized state.
Then, the combined first and second molds 4 and 10 pass through a
second cooler 17 as the conveyer 1 moves intermittently, whereupon
the first and second chocolate materials are solidified to form an
integral chocolate block. The temperature and time for cooling to
solidify the chocolate block are varied depending on the thickness
of the body portion of the block, and it takes generally about 15
to 25 minutes to solidify the chocolate material cast at a
temperature of from 29.degree. to 31.degree. C. in a cooler
maintained at 4.degree. to 7.degree. C. A vibrator 18 may be
provided to vibrate the combined first and second molds 4 and 10
prior to this cooling step thereby to remove air bubbles in the
second chocolate material.
Then, the second mold 10 is raised by a mold separator 19 while
leaving the first mold 4 on the conveyer 1, whereby the solidified
first chocolate material 6 adhering onto the solidified second
chocolate material 15 is taken out of the first mold 4, as shown in
FIG. 6. Since the side wall of the through-opening 11 of the second
mold 10 is slightly tapered such that the through-opening 11
extends upwardly, the molded chocolate block is carried by the
second mold 10. The molded chocolate block having an ornamental
relief pattern may be removed from the second mold 10 by inverting
the second mold 10.
As has been described hereinbefore, when the second chocolate
material 15 forming the body portion of the chocolate block is
poured into the second mold 10, the second chocolate material 15
oozes from the bottom of the second mold to penetrate into the
interface gap inevitably formed between the top face of the first
mold 4 and the bototm face of the second mold 10, so that the
second chocolate material adheres onto the bottom face 13 of the
second mold 10 and also onto the top face of the first mold 4. If
the first mold 4 is used repeatedly in the next cycle operations
with the top face 3 carrying the thus adhering second chocolate
material, the first chocolate material is seriously contaminated
with the second chocolate material left uncleaned at the steps of
casting the first chocolate material 6 into the engraved mold
cavity 2 of the first mold 4 and pressing the thus cast first
chocolate material 6 into the engraved mold cavity 2 by scraping,
leading to unfavorable deterioration in commercial value.
Occasionally, the first chocolate material is left on the molds
without being scraped.
According to the present invention, a cleaner 20 is provided
between the mold separator 19 and the first container 5 in order to
remove the residual chocolate materials, particularly the second
chocolate material, adhering onto the top face 3 of the first mold
4.
Referring to FIG. 7 showing one embodiment of the cleaner 20, a
roller 61 made of a resilient material, such as synthetic resins or
rubbers, is rotatably carried by a bracket 62 and spaced from the
conveyer 1 so that the circumferential face of the rotating roller
61 is pressed onto the top face 3 of each first mold 4. The roller
61 may be carried for free rotation as the conveyer 1 moves in the
direction shown by the arrow A to remove the chocolate material
adhering on the top face 3 of the mold 4. However, in order to
ensure effective removal of the adhering chocolate material, it is
preferred that the rotating shaft 64 of the roller 61 is rotated in
the direction reverse to the travelling direction of the conveyer
1, i.e. in the direction shown by the arrow B, by the driving belt
63. The efficiency for removing the adhering chocolate material may
be increased by rotating the roller 61 at a circumferential speed
of higher than the travelling speed of the conveyer 1, more
preferably by rotating the roller 61 at a circumferential speed of
more than two times as high as the travelling speed of the conveyer
1. The chocolate materials transferred to the roller 61 is scraped
by a scraper plate 65. A heater may be provided internally of the
roller 61 for softening the chocolate materials to facilitate easy
take-up of the solidified chocolate materials from the mold 4.
Otherwise, a heating chamber (not shown) may be provided upstream
of the cleaner 20 to soften the adhering chocolate materials.
Another embodiment of the cleaner 20 is shown in FIG. 8. In this
embodiment, a scraper blade 82 carried by brackets 81 is provided
in lieu of the roller 61 in the preceding embodiment. The face 3 of
the mold 4 is scraped by the scraper blade 82 as it moves across
the scraper blade 82 by the conveyer 1, whereupon the chocolate
materials adhering thereon are scraped off. The blade 82 is slanted
at an angle .alpha., as shown, to ensure positive scraping. The
angle .alpha. between the blade 82 and the face 3 of the mold 4
ranges generally 5.degree. to 45.degree.. By the use of the scraper
blade 82, the adhering chocolate materials may be removed in the
solidified state without the need of softening.
A further embodiment of the cleaner 20 shown in FIG. 9 comprises a
rising chamber 91 and a drying chamber 93. The rinsing chamber may
be a warm water reservoir through which each mold 4 passes.
However, it is preferred that a plurality of spray nozzles 92 is
provided in the rinsing chamber 91 for spraying warm water
therefrom to the face 3 of the mold 4, as shown in FIG. 9. The mold
4 rinsed with warm water is then dried in the drying chamber
92.
A plurality of cleaners 20, which may be either one of the
embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, may be provided in line with
each other. For example, the cleaner shown in FIG. 7 may be
combined with the cleaner shown in FIG. 9.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to
the preferred embodiments. it should be understood that various
modifications and variations can be easily made by those skilled in
the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure should be interpreted as
illustrative only and not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.
The present invention is limited only by the scope of the following
claims.
* * * * *